Gary Clark Jr. Performs At Switzerland’s Paléo Festival In 2015: Pro-Shot Video

Austin native Gary Clark Jr. might be best known for his outrageous skills on the guitar, but he’s also an incredible songwriter. Clark Jr. has released three full-length studio albums so far including 2019’s This Land, which scored him this year’s Grammy Award For Best Contemporary Blues Album. This week’s Full Show Friday features pro-shot video of Gary Clark Jr.’s July 23, 2015 set at the Paléo Festival in Nyon, Switzerland as part of JamBase’s continuing celebration of African-American Music Appreciation Month.

Gary Clark Jr. and his longtime band of guitarist King Zapata, bassist Johnny Bradley and drummer Johnny Radelat played the Paléo Festival during a tour of Europe that came in support of The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim, a studio album that came out about six months after the set. The quartet showed off their versatility and Clark Jr.’s massive talents over the course of a 10-song performance.

The set began with “Bright Lights,” the title track from Gary’s four-song EP for Warner Brothers. Next up was a “When My Train Pulls In” featuring an intense solo from Clark Jr. that stands among the highlights of the performance. The guitarist then displays the more soulful side of his music on The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim tracks “Cold Blooded” and “Our Love.” Clark Jr. and company go on to take it up a notch with “Travis Country” from 2012’s Blak & Blu.

Gary Clark Jr. continues the set with a powerful rendition of “Numb” in which he puts a fuzz tone to great use. The guitarist then belts out “Next Door Neighbor Blues” before offering up the lone cover of his performance, Robert Petway’s “Catfish Blues.” Clark Jr., King Zapata, Bradley and Radelat end their set with a quick and dirty romp through “Don’t Owe You A Thang.” Watch the set below:

Setlist

Set: Bright Lights, When My Train Pulls In, Cold Blooded, Our Love, Travis Country, Numb, Next Door Neighbor Blues, Catfish Blues, Don’t Owe You A Thang